Flat-rate controller.



F. KRABMBR.

PLAT RATE CONTROLLER.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.14, 1909. RENEWED AUG. 8, 191a.

Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA WM"! 00-. 11mm. n. c.

F. KRABMER.

PLAT RATE CONTROLLER.

APP IOATIONEILEE JAN. 14, 1909. RENEWED AUG. s, 1913.

1,101,495 Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK KRA'EMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOMAX HARRIS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLAT-RATE CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed January 14, 1909, Serial No. 472,179. Renewed August8, 1918. Serial No. 783,840.

My invention is intended primarily for use with electric plantsfurnishing current at a flat rate; that is to say, a rate based upon theaverage or maximum number of li hts motors or other translatin devicesor current consumers used at any given time by the subscriber or patron,instead of a rate based upon the watt or kilowatt hour; and its objectis to open or break intermittently the loop, branch or derived circuitin which the lamps, motors or translating devices of a plant, buildingor apartment are located, whenever it is attempted'to add fraudulentlyor illicitly to the authorized number; such persistent intermittence ofthe current supply being continued until the illicit use thereof isabandoned, either by the cutting out or absolute removal of the extracurrent consumer. To this end, the current supplying the derived or workcircuit is passed through a series magnet, which when the current isrendered excessive by the demands of the additional load imposed byextra and illegitimate consuming devices, overcomes a mechanicalresistance and closes a switch that cuts off the supply of current tothe lights, etc.. from the leads or mains, all as will be fullyexplained in the specification, and the novel elements and combinationsof elements employed therein particularly pointed out in the claims.

To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto tWe sheets of drawings, inwhich the same referencecharacters are used to designate identical partsin all the figures, of which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention;Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical section onthe line AA of Fig. 2, but with the structure modified as I prefer touse it for a three-wire system; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showingthe circuits in the apparatus under normal conditions in full lines, andunder abnormal conditions in dotted lines; and Fig. 5 is a similar Viewof the three-Wire construction.

The apparatus is mounted on a base plate 10, which may be of marble,slate, or any other suitable insulating material, and it Wlll beunderstood that the complete apparatus is located in a casing, which islocked against access to everybody except the party furnishing thepower, so that it cannot be tampered with by the consumer to increasefraudulently the supply of current which the apparatus will take care ofbeyond the amount to which he is entitled. The leading-in wire 11 passesthrough the casing and is secured to a binding post or connection 12 inany customary manner. From this post, the current is preferably passedby the wire 13 to the binding post 14. From the upper post 14, thecurrent passes through the wire 17 into the coils of the series magnet18, which is attached to the base by cars 19 secured to the top disk 20of the spool, and by the ears 21 secured to the bottom disk 22 of thespool, the two disks being connected by the tube 23, which serves as aguide or channel for the cores of the series magnet 18 and the shunt orcircuit breaking magnet 24; both of these magnets preferably taking theform of solenoids mounted in axial alinement with each other, and, asseen, arranged upon a single spool, which, however, is in effect dividedinto two spools by the disk 25. The disks 26, 27, 28 and 29, are,ofcourse,of insulating material. From the coils of the series magnet 18,the current passes by the wire 30 to the binding post 31, thence throughthe Wire 32 to the binding post 33, to which are connected the springjaws 34, with which cooperates the blade 35 of the cut-out switch. Theblade 35 is connected to the companion blade 36 by the cross rod 37which is preferablv a conductor, and the two blades may also beelectrically connected by being mounted on the metallic bearing rod 38carried by the brackets 39 and 40. This rod is preferably provided withshoulders at 41 and 42 against which the blades have their hearing.

The current passing from the blade to the blade 36 passes thence to thespring jaws 43 electrically connected with the binding post 44, andthence the current is led by the wire 45 to the binding post 46, whencethe current passes by the wire 47 (See Fig. 4) to the work circuitindicated by the lamps 48, and thence returns by the wire 49 to thebinding post 50, whence it passes by the wire 51 to the binding post 52,whence it passes bv the wire 53 to the other side of the generator 54:or other source of potential. When, however, the number of lamps orother translating devices in the work circuit is increased above thenumber contracted for, so that the demands thereof increase the currentpassing through the instrument, all of which must pass through theseries magnet 18, the pull of the magnet on its core 55 (which issuspended from the ear 56 on the switch lever 57 by the links 58) issutlicient to overcome the gravity of the weight 59 which is threaded onthe outer arm of the switch lever 57, and which tends to hold the corein the elevated position shown in full lines. By screwing the weight 59backward and forward on the threaded portion of the switch lever 57, andsecuring it in the de sired position of adjustment by the jam nut- 60,it is possible to adjust the instrument accurately as is necessary forthe allowable variations in the number of lamps or other units to beemployed, as it will be understood that the same instrument has aconsiderable range of adjustments so as to accommodate it for use incases where the different consumers contract for a different amount ofcurrent.

The lever 57 is provided with the hub 61, which has the recesses engagedby the stationary bearing point 62 carried by the bracket 63 secured tothe base on the inside, and by the bearing point carried by the screw 64threaded through the arm 65 of the bracket 63 and secured by the jam nut65 so that the lever is fulcrumed very sensitively so as to prevent anyfriction which would tend to oppose the pull on the solenoid 55 andinterfere with the accuracy of the instrument.

\Vhen the solenoid core is pulled down against the resistance of theweight 59, the contact end of the lever 57 engages the con tact piece 66which projects from the base, and which is electrically connected withthe binding post 31. The current now passes from the binding post 31through the contact 66, through the lever 57, thence through the bracket63, thence through the wire 67 thence through the coils of the switchoperating magnet 2. with which the wire 67 is connected, thence throughthe wire 68, to the binding post 50, thence through the wire 51 to thebinding post 52, and thence through the wire 53 to the generator, thuscompleting a secondary circuit in shunt with the work circuit, throughthe circuit breaking magnet. This of course energizes thecircuit-breaking switch-magnet 2 1, and draws up the core 69 of saidmagnet, and also draws down the auxiliary core 70, which is adjustablysupported from the core of the series magnet by the rod 71 connectedthereto and thread ed into the core 55. The object of this supplementalcore is to completely and more firmly operate the switch lever 57, whichis provided at its outer end with the preliminary contact member 7 2,which consists of a strip of thin brass or copper of the shape shown,which strip contacts with the rounded edge of the contact 66 as soon asthe core 55 is drawn down. When the magnet 24 is energized, theadditional pull of the core 70 serves to bend the curved portion of thecon tact member 72 outward enough so that the lever 57 can be drawn allthe way down so that the body of the lever rests directly on the top ofthe contact 66, so that the circuit is closed directly through the leverwithout the intermediate contact member 72. One object of thisconstruction is to insure a clean contact between the lever 57 and thecontact 66. When the circuit is opened or closed at this point, anysparking that occurs must necessarily occur between the spring contactmember 72 and that portion of the contact bracket 66 with which itengages. Now, when the lever 57 is drawn the rest of the way down, sothat the body of the lever contacts directly with the bracket 66, thespring member 72 wipes over the portion of the bracket 66 on which thesparking occurs, and automatically cleans both contacts from the effectof such sparking, but, of course, no sparking occurs between the mainbody of the lever and the contact 66. Another object of this springcontact is that the friction of the spring 72 on the contact 66 when thecircuit is fully closed is sufficient to overcome the over-balancingeffect of the weight 59, with the result that the switch lever will notbe moved up to break the shunt circuit accidentally, but will be helddown, positively, as it were, until the circuit is broken positively bythe engagement of the upper end of the core 69 of the circuit-breakingmagnet 2a with the under side of the supplemental core 70.

At the proper place in the core 69 is secured the pair of bearing rods73, upon which are mounted the rollers 74 of insulating material, whichrollers, as the core is drawn up, engage the cam surface 75 of theblades 35 and 36 of the work circuit switch to move the blades out ofengagement with the aws 34 and 43, thus breaking the circuit through thelamps, and the entire circuit throughout the apparatus is then asindicated diagrammatically by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. The downwardmovement of the core 69 may be resisted and the time of said movementlengthened by reason of the piston 76 carried on the lower end of thecore 69. This piston 76 is preferably made of a rubber disk 77 securedbetween the washers 78 and 79 by the screw 80. An aperture 81 openinginto the bottom of the dashpot 82 serves to control the speed of thedescent of the piston, and if it is desired to regulate this speed.

it can be done by means of the set screw valve 83 threaded into a lug onthe dashpot barrel so as to partially close the aperture 81. The dashpotis supported from the base 10 by a bracket 84 secured to said base.

Substantially at the end of the upward movement of the core 69, itsupper end strikes the lower end of the supplemental core 70, asindicated in the dotted line position of said cores in Fig. 3, andpositively lifts said core against the pull of the magnet 24, so as topositively raise the switch lever 57 and break the circuit at thatpoint. The circuits are now broken throughout the entire apparatus, thecircuit through the main branch being broken by reason of the blades and36 being withdrawn from the jaws 34 and 43, and the circuit through theshunt branch being broken by reason of the lever 57 being raised. Thiscondition existing, gravity comes into play and causes the gradualdescent of the core 69, the descent being slowed up by the resistanceoffered by the dashpot until the anti-friction rollers 74 strike thesurfaces 85 on the short arms of the knife-blade levers 35 and 36. Atthis time, the piston reaches the enlarged lower portion of the dashpotformed by the annular ofiset 86, so that the piston and its connectedparts can descend rapidly for the rest of the movement, as is desired tomake the desired quick contact of the switch blades 35 and 36 with thejaws 34 and 43, to prevent sparking.

{ 53 From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that so long asan overload continues, the work circuit will be opened and closed atintervals, producing an annoyance to the consumer that will cause him toremedy the diificulty by turning off the extra light or othertranslating unit which has been added.

Where my apparatus is used with a threewire system, I preferably modifyit as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, where it will be seen that, as before, thecurrent from the generators 54" and 54 passes through one of the outsidewires 11 to the binding post 12, whence it passes through the wire 13,through the binding post 14, wire 17, through the coil 18 of the duplexwindings of the series magnet, thence through the wire 30 to the bindingpost 31, thence through the wire 32 to the jaws 34, thence through theblade 35 to the standard 39 thence through the wire 87 to the bindingpost 52, thence through the wire 47 to one of the outside wires of thethreewire work circuit, thence through the lamps 48 to the other outsidewire 49 of the work circuit, it being found unnecessary to connect theneutral wire 88 with the instrument. The wire 49 is connected to thebinding post 50, which is connected by the wire 89 with the bracket 40whence the current passes through the blade 36 to the jaws 43. It willbe noted that in this modification for the three-wire system, thebearing rod 38, and the cross piece 37 must be made of insulatingmaterial instead of conductors, as in the ordinary construction. Thecurrent passes from the jaws 43 through the wire 90 to the other coil 18of the duplex series magnet, whence it passes by the wire 91 to thebinding post 93. The current passes from the binding post 93 through thewire 95 to the binding post 46, which is connected by the wire 96 withthe generator 54 thus completing the circuit.

\Vhen an overload occurs, the solenoid core 55 is drawn down as before,and the circuit is then closed through the switch lever 57, through thewire 67 through the coils of the circuit-breaking shunt magnet 24,thence through the wire 97 to the binding post 93, thence through thewire 95 to the binding post 46, thence through the wire 96 as before tothe generators, thus cutting out the work circuit entirely.

While I have shown my novel switch mechanism arranged specifically foruse as a flat rate controller, it will be understood that I it iscapable of other uses, and that where the claims are not limited to aflat rate controller, I intend to cover the switch applied to any usedesired.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the formwhich I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, itwill be understood that it is capable of modifications, and that I donot desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claimsexcept as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. In a flat-rate controller, a series magnet in the main circuitadapted to have a work circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in a shuntcircuit closed by an abnormal load or current through the series magnet,a swinging switch in the main circuit provided with two engagingsurfaces, and a second magnet in the shunt circuit acting when energizedto first open the main-circuit switch by the engagement of its armaturewith one of the surfaces, then to open the shunt circuit switch, andfinally to close the main switch by its armature engaging the secondsurface on its return movement.

2. In a fiat-rate controller, a series magnet in a main circuit adaptedto have a work circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in a shunt circuitclosed by an abnormal load or current through the series magnet, aswinging switch in the main circuit provided with two engaging surfaces,one a cam surface and the other located near its fulcrum, and a secondmagnet in the shunt circuit acting when energized to first open themain-circuit switch by the engagement of its armature with the camsurface, then to open the shunt circuit switch, and finally to close themain switch quickly by its armature engaging the second surface on itsreturn movement.

3. In a flat-rate controller, a series magnet in a main circuit adaptedto have a work circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in the shuntcircuit closed by an abnormal load or current through the series magnet,a swinging switch in the main circuit provided with two engagingsurfaces, a second magnet in the shunt circuit acting when energized tofirst open the main circuit switch by the engagement of its armaturewith one of the surfaces, then to open the shunt circuit switch, andfinally to close the main switch by its armature engaging the secondsurface on its return movement, and a dashpot connected to the armatureof the second magnet and having a resistance release operating duringthe engagement of the armature with the second surface to close saidswitch automatically.

4:. In a fiat-rate controller, a series magnet in the main circuitadapted to have a vorlr circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in a shuntcircuit closed by an abnormal load or current through the series magnetand connected to the armature of said magnet so as to be operatedthereby, a swinging switch in the main circuit provided with twoengaging surfaces, and a second magnet in the shunt circuit acting whenenergized to first open the main circuit switch by the engagement of itsarmaturewith one of the surfaces, then "to open the shunt circuit switchby the engagement of its armature with the armature of the seriesmagnet, and finally to close the main switch by its armature engagingthe second surface on its return movement.

5. In a fiat-rate controller, a series solenoid magnet in a main circuitadapted to have a work circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in theshunt circuit connected to the core of said magnet and adapted to beclosed by an abnormal load or current through the magnet, a swingingswitch in the main circuit composed of a pair of blades each providedwith two engaging surfaces, and a second solenoid magnet in the shuntcircuit having a cross piece with bearing surfaces carried by its corein alinement with the first magnet and acting when energized to firstopen the main circuit switch by the engagement of the bearing surfaceson the cross piece with one of the surfaces on the switch blades, thento open the shunt circuit switch by the engagement of its core with thecore of the series magnet, and finally to close the main switch by thebearing surfaces carried by its armature engaging the second surfaces onthe switch blades on its return movement.

6. In a fiat-rate controller, a series solenoid magnet in a main circuitadapted to have a work circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in theshunt circuit connected to the core of said magnet and adapted to beclosed by an abnormal load or current through the magnet, a swingingswitch in the main circuit composed of a pair of blades each providedwith two engaging surfaces, and a second solenoid magnet in the shuntcircuit having a cross piece with insulated rollerbearing surfacescarried by its core in alinement with the first magnet and acting whenenergized to first open the main circuit switch by the engagement of thebearing surfaces on the cross piece with one of the surfaces on theswitch blades, then to open the shunt circuit switch by the engagementof its core with the core of the series magnet, and finally to close themain switch by the bearing surfaces carried by its armature engaging thesecond surfaces on the switch blades on its return movement.

7. In a fiat-rate controller, a series solenoid magnet in a main circuitadapted to have a work circuit fed therethrough, of a switch in theshunt circuit connected to the core of said magnet and adapted to beclosed by an abnormal load or current through the magnet, a swingingswitch in the main circuit composed of a pair of blades each providedwith two engaging surfaces, a second solenoid magnet in the shuntcircuit having a cross piece with bearing-surfaces carried by its corein alinement with the first magnet and acting when energized to firstopen the main circuit switch by the engagement of the bearing surfaceson the cross piece with one of the surfaces on the switch blades, thento open the shunt circuit switch by the engagement of its core with thecore of the series magnet, and finally to close the main switch by thehearing surfaces carried by its armature engaging the second surfaces onthe switch blades on its return movement, and a dashpot connected to thearmature of the second magnet and having a release operating during theengagement of the armature with the second surface to close said switchquickly.

8. In an automatic electric switch, a magnet in one circuit, a workcircuit associated therewith, a switch in a shunt circuit closed by themovement of the armature of said magnet, a swinging switch in the workcircuit provided with two engaging surfaces, and a second magnet in theshunt circuit acting when energized to first open the swinging switch bythe engagement of its armature with one of the surfaces, then to openthe shunt-circuit switch, and finally to close the swinging switch byits armature engaging the second surface on its return movement.

9. In an automatic electric switch, a ma gnet in one circuit, a workcircuit associated therewith, a switch in a shunt circuit closed by themovement of the armature of said magnet, a swinging switch in the workcircuit provided with two engaging surfaces, a second magnet in theshunt circuit acting when energized to first open the swinging switch bythe engagement of its armature with one of the surfaces, then to openthe shunt-circuit switch, and finally to close the swinging switch byits armature engaging the second surface on its return movement, and adashpot connected to the armature of the second magnet and having aresistance release operating during the engagement of the armature withthe second surface to close said switch automatically.

10. In an automatic electric switch, a magnet in one circuit, a workcircuit associated therewith, a switch in a shunt circuit closed by themovement of the armature of said magnet, a swinging switch in the workcircuit provided with two engaging surfaces, and a second magnet in theshunt circuit acting when energized to first open the maincircuitswitchby the engagement of its armature with one of the surfaces, then to openthe shunt-circuit switch by the engagement of its armature with thearmature of the first-mentioned magnet, and finally to close theswinging switch by its armature engaging the second surface thereof onits return movement.

11. In an automatic electric switch, a solenoid magnet in one circuit, awork circuit associated therewith, a switch in a shunt circuit connectedto the core of said magnet and adapted to be closed by the movementthereof, a swinging switch in the work circuit composed of a pair ofblades each provided with two engaging surfaces, and a second solenoidmagnet in the shunt circuit having a cross piece with bearing surfacescarried by its core in alinement with the first magnet and acting whenenergized to first open the swinging switch by the engagement of thebearing surfaces on the cross piece with one of the surfaces on theswitch blades, then to open the shunt-circuit switch by the engagementof its core with the core of the first magnet, and finally to close theswinging switch by the bearing surfaces carried by its armature engagingthe second surfaces on the switch blades toward the end of its returnmovement.

12. In an automatic electric switch, a solenoid magnet in one circuit, awork circuit associated therewith, a switch in a shunt circuit connectedto the core of said magnet and adapted to be closed by the movementthereof, a swinging switch in the work circuit composed of a pair ofblades each provided with two engaging surfaces, and a second solenoidmagnet in the shunt circuit having a cross piece with insulated rollerbearing surfaces carried by its core in alinement with the first magnetand acting when energized to first open the swinging switch by theengagement of the bearing surfaces on the cross piece with one of thesurfaces on the switch blades, then to open the shuntcircuit switch bythe engagement of its core with the core of the first-mentioned magnet,and finally to close the swinging switch by the bearing surfaces carriedby its armature engaging the second surfaces on the switch blades towardthe end of its return movement.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal,this 7th day of January, A. D, 1909.

FRANK KRAEMER. 1 8.]

Witnesses:

JOHN HOWARD MoELRoY, F. E. BROM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C.

